The Melodious Rhythm II
by Princess Skykes
Summary: The Melodious Rhythm chapter Two! For my loyal friend, Ginger.


II: Get ready

I hit the ground running, I knew the way to Susan's by heart: I had sneaked out in the night on numerous occasions to see her. My only worry was that one of my aunts or uncle would see me, I knew that it would have been better to leave at night, but it was more like a burst than a plan.

It took about twenty minuted to get to Susan's normally, but running took about ten, which was enough time to wonder if I was doing the right thing, I decided Susan could help me with that, and she did.

Mrs. Williamson jumped as I burst through the front door of the Williamson's house.  
"Is Susan home?"  
"Uh-um, yeah she's in her room-"  
"Thanks!" I ran upstairs and pushed her door open, she had Bon Jovi playing on the radio, 'You Give Love A Bad Name' I believe the song is called, she was sitting on her bed writing something. "Sue?"  
She glanced up at me and had to do a double take. "Mel?"  
"Yeah..."  
"You look... So different." She stared in disbelief.  
"Yeah, I know I-"  
"Mel! You look like me!"  
I jumped this time, she was right. The black makeup, the dark clothes, the lack of flowers. "I-I guess so."  
"What's the occasion?"  
"Running away..."  
"Finally!" She set her notebook aside and started walking towards me.  
"Huh?"  
"We've been trying to get you to run away for, like, ever!"  
"What?"  
She scoffed. "Jeff, Don, Delilah and I!"  
"Why?"  
"Because you don't belong in that family! And you know it! You belong with us!"  
"You have a way of making everything you say sound creepy."  
"Mel! This is serious business! You're a Goth! Join us!"  
"See? You just did it again."  
"Focus Mel!"  
"But you know you guys just pretend to be Goths."  
"MEL!"  
"No! Sue! I know I don't belong with my family, but I'm not a Goth! And I know that there's somewhere for a person like me!"  
She took a step back. "What do mean 'a person like you'?"  
"I don't know! But... I'm different, Sue."  
"So are we!"  
"NO! Listen! I'm not a human!"  
"What are you talking about?" She stumbled back onto her bed.  
"I-I don't know! Okay? But I need your help! You're the expert on running away!"  
She composed herself, "Alright, Mel. What do you need help with?" she said in a smooth, measured voice.  
"I don't know, I've never even thought about running away before today,"  
"Oh? What made you change your mind?"  
"I-I was a mistake."  
"What the f*** does that mean?"  
"My mom had an affair, eighteen years ago."  
"Cool! I though your mom was just a bore, if she didn't look so much like the other girl I would have thought she was a v-"  
"We don't need to go into that! And no! It's not cool, Sue!"  
"But it means your mom's a s-"  
"JUST SHUT UP SUE! OKAY?"  
"Alright, alright, no need to be a b**** about it..."  
"So..." I quickly tried to get back on topic, "Will you help me?"  
"I don't know if there's much I can do." she said indifferently.  
"What?"  
"You heard me." She checked her fingernails.  
I sighed. "What's it gonna cost?"  
"Glad you asked," She said, becoming interested in me once again. "I don't charge much, but... It will involve something... Personal." She gave me a grin that creeped the Hell out of me.  
"What do you want? Can we just get over with it quickly?"  
She smirked. "How much do you like Jeff?"  
"What's that supposed to mean?" I took a step backwards, the next thing she said was a whisper in my ear, I will not tell you what she said in my ear, but you should be able to guess because my reaction was:  
"What? That's disgusting! And SO not worth it! What's wrong with you?"  
She laughed, "Oh grow a sense of humor! I'd never ask you to do that!"  
I looked at her, the horror of what she had suggested still existent. "That was supposed to be funny?"  
She nodded, obviously doing her best not to crack up.  
I sighed. "What do you really want?"  
She composed herself, yet again. "Your copy of Sweeney Todd and your personal diary."  
"What happened to your copy?"  
She shrugged. "My mom had an 'accident' when she was cleaning my room."  
"And why my diary?"  
"I owe it to Don."  
"You owe him my diary? How does that happen?"  
"Long story."  
I sighed, again, "Fine. My movies are at home, my diary is in here." I pulled my pack off and unzipped it.  
"You don't mind if I take a peek before I give that to Don, right?" She asked as I pulled the diary out.  
"If I said 'no' would it make a difference?" I handed her the little notebook.  
"Nope." She snatched it from me and opened it to a random page. I sighed and waited for her to be done.

I found various activities to occupy my time, checking myself in the mirror, thickening the makeup on my face, reading Susan's collection of poems, that she wrote, texting Delilah. Finally she looked up. "Seems legit."  
"It is!"  
"Sure, whatever." She shoved the diary under her pillow, and got up from the bed. "So, whatcha' need?"  
"Um, basic survival skills? A travelling companion?"  
"First questions, yes. I can help with survival. Second one, not so much."  
"What? You mean you won't come with me?"  
"I don't even know where you're going. And frankly, I don't care. I'm tired of running."  
"Tired of running? You?"  
She nodded.  
Another sigh from yours truly. "What else do you want?"  
"Nothing, I'm staying, and that's final."  
I couldn't believe it. "Who are you, and what have you done with Sue?"  
She rolled her eyes. "I'm serious Mel, I'm done running. I've got Jeff and Don and Lilah, and my adopt-mom is nice to me, she's not like any of the others. I'm done, I'm staying put."  
I was shocked. "But... Why were you trying to convince me to run?"  
She walked up to me and put her hands on my shoulders. "Because I want you to find a perfect family, like I did. But finding involves searching."  
"Um, thanks, Rafiki."  
"Who?"  
"Never mind."  
She raised an eyebrow, but shook herself. "But you will need to find someone, someone who is also running away, but don't get attached, it is the most important thing, don't get attached to anyone." She had me by the shoulders and was holding her face close to mine, her breath smelled like stomach acid, like she hadn't been eating, or she was puking up everything she ate.  
"Okay," I said, timidly.  
"Do you understand?"  
"Yes,"  
"Really? Mel, it's important that you do not get attached to anyone, even me, you have to forget your past if you're going to find your future."  
"Yeah."  
"Good, other than that, don't get caught stealing, use a fake name, don't steal from gangs, find safe places to sleep, don't steal anything that won't fit in your panties."  
"My... Panties?"  
"Cops aren't aloud to strip-search mino... Oh, you're eighteen now huh?"  
I nodded.  
"Well, that's a totally different story. Get a temporary job, by a bus ticket to wherever you need to go."  
"But, I don't know where I'm going."  
"Sleep in alleys." She released my arms and sat back down on her bed to resume writing poems.

Didn't take long, after that, to make it out the door, my main concern was my parents asking around and finding me, but I needed to talk to my other friends, maybe not my so-called 'Goth' ones, but someone. I decided to go to Jeff's next, because he was the least creepy/annoying of that group, maybe he would go with me. I started walking toward his place, to get ready.


End file.
